Category: Uncategorized

You should try to evacuate to the home of a friend or family member outside of the Evacuation Area. A shelter should be your refuge of last resort if you have absolutely no where else to go.

As we can see from Houston, it’s not a good idea to rely heavily on what the government tells you concerning evacuation plans. Furthermore, it is better to evacuate ahead of others so that it cuts down on chaos of trying to get out of “choke zones”.

If you are unsure if you are in an area that is at risk for flooding, type in your address on this FEMA webpage (search bar is on the top right of the page).

You should try to evacuate to the home of a friend or family member outside of the Evacuation Area. A shelter should be your refuge of last resort if you have absolutely no where else to go.

As we can see from Houston, it’s not a good idea to rely heavily on what the government tells you concerning evacuation plans. Furthermore, it is better to evacuate ahead of others so that it cuts down on chaos of trying to get out of “choke zones”.

If you are unsure if you are in an area that is at risk for flooding, type in your address on this FEMA webpage (search bar is on the top right of the page).

You should try to evacuate to the home of a friend or family member outside of the Evacuation Area. A shelter should be your refuge of last resort if you have absolutely no where else to go.

As we can see from Houston, it’s not a good idea to rely heavily on what the government tells you concerning evacuation plans. Furthermore, it is better to evacuate ahead of others so that it cuts down on chaos of trying to get out of “choke zones”.

If you are unsure if you are in an area that is at risk for flooding, type in your address on this FEMA webpage (search bar is on the top right of the page).

The following list is what the team could find regarding best methods of keeping updates in your county. Some of these counties have already listed that they have openings, while at least one we found listed that they were looking for churches to volunteer as open shelters.

You should try to evacuate to the home of a friend or family member outside of the Evacuation Area. A shelter should be your refuge of last resort if you have absolutely no where else to go.

As we can see from Houston, it’s not a good idea to rely heavily on what the government tells you concerning evacuation plans. Furthermore, it is better to evacuate ahead of others so that it cuts down on chaos of trying to get out of “choke zones”.

If you are unsure if you are in an area that is at risk for flooding, type in your address on this FEMA webpage (search bar is on the top right of the page).

The following list is what the team could find regarding best methods of keeping updates in your county, as well as where shelters might be (not all shelters will be open). If you are looking at the possibility of seeking refuge at a shelter, the lists put in here can help you get a number to talk with people on site and find out whether or not they are actually going to be open as a shelter. It will also give you the ability to call ahead and ask if they take pets if that is a concern of yours. If there is a county which did not have a list of shelters, we encourage you to get the Red Cross Hurricane App for Android or iOS respectively.

Bay County uses public schools for hurricane shelters. Depending on the nature of the event and school construction / renovation, different schools may be used each year. Stay tuned to local media or call 784-4000 to find out which schools may be utilized in any given event.

America’s current political atmosphere serves as a reminder to us that walking the Jedi Path is not as easy as we would like to believe. Especially in a polarized atmosphere where we feel the need to pick a side. If we look to the Jedi Path, we have to take the most difficult side of all: The side of the people which either refuse to engage in violence, and/or those that only defend against an active assailant. This also means that we must take a stance against anyone which would promote speech that has inspired others to violence. People that meet this description are those that align with White Supremacy, the Klu Klux Klan, Nazism, and the modern organization ANTIFA ideologies (not to be confused with the commendable belief that fascism itself is evil).

Although it may seem like it is wrong to put these groups on the same moral playing field, it is important for us to return to the Jedi Philosophy taught by Armonia in order to see how we reach this conclusion.

Duty to All

Armonia’s Jedi Code states that “we face adversity with wisdom and knowledge”. If we look across the world, we see that these wars over ideology end in massive tolls to innocents. In the Middle East, Israel is targeted by a number of Islamic Terrorist organizations which incite the people to violence against a nation that could live in peaceful cohabitation. The cycle is continued when Israel retaliates. This cycle has continued for generations and continues to take the lives of innocent bystanders. On a smaller scale, this same trend is seen in famous family feuds which tend to end in a brutal way. The Strangio-Nirtas and Pelle-Vottari-Romeos feud, for example, resulted in the shooting of 6 men who were believed to have moved to Germany in an attempt to escape the clan’s fighting.

These incidents serve to remind us that people who want no part in the war can still get caught in the cross-fire. And in the case of the Strangio-Nirtas and Pelle-Vottari-Romeos feud, there may be no escape once the hatred has settled deeply in.

Respect the Law

We know and understand that neither the law nor humans are perfect. However, there is wisdom in having trained personnel deal with criminals instead of the average citizen. When an individual is faced with something they hate, they can no longer be seen as objective in their dealings with the person. It can be blinding, and therefore we call in trained personnel to help us deal with them.

This is where Armonia cannot stand behind the actions of anyone that strikes the first blow. The events in Charlottesville, VA revealed that those with ideologies aligning with White Supremacy, the KKK, Nazis and even ANTIFA lacked discipline when they faced what they hated before them. They decided , in those moments, that American law which gave them rights to peacefully assemble was not enough to win their cause and took it a step further: Assault.

Tolerance

Worst of all was the vehicular attack that left one dead and 19 more injured. The actions of James Alex Fields, Jr demonstrated extremist Right-Wing ideology in action. This is not the first time that ideologies have convinced people that could have once been considered good people to commit absolutely horrible actions against their fellow man. .

In 2015, under the influence of his White Supremacy research following the riots in Ferguson, MO and Baltimore, MD, Dylann Roof went to a Black Church in Charleston, SC and murdered 9 members of the congregation and injured one. Between the violence of extremists that hijacked the Black Lives Matter movement and the passive yet “compelling” arguments of those that oppose the Black Community as a whole, a terrorist was born. Thus, we cannot support the ideologies that are promoted by the hateful or the ideology of wanton violence, for they lead to disregard for the law.

If we pay attention to what the Force tells us, we find that we live in a connected world, and as such must respect how inter-connected everyone’s actions are to one another. Our role in life is to support the people that we believe should inherit this world- and that is not the people who spread hate or those that spread violence.

For my middle school years, I attended a school that can claim Oprah Winfrey as an alumni. Much like Armonia College is the evolution of the Light Aspect at Force Academy, East Literature Magnet School (ELMS) was the evolution of East Nashville Middle & High School. I got to stand on the same stage that I’m sure Oprah stood on once before to deliver a speech to her classmates, or watched as a speaker spoke about something they were very passionate about. In knowing that Oprah had been to this same school, I always felt that the focus of the ELMS (Literary Arts) was very appropriate. While I was there, and even after I left for a new High School, I learned a great deal about the value of literary arts from ELMS. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of literature as a means of moving society towards a greater purpose.

Literature takes on many forms, it can be fiction or reality. It can be on paper, or produced in a way that can reach an audience through voice and action. Performed in person on a stage, in film, or on an audio format. It can be in a media platform, or in a book. Whatever form it takes, literature has had a special place in the life of man.

“Literature not only represents to us our world but it also shows us ways in which we can change the world or adapt to changes which have already taken place without our realization. Literature’s cognitive dimension helps us cope with the current as well as future challenges by changing the way we think about ourselves, our society and those who are excluded from or marginalized within our society” (Mack, 2012)

Journalists may be tasked with telling us about things going on around the world. We often think of journalism in terms of political issues at the local, state, federal and international levels. But Journalism is used as a method to call attention to a problem, and in turn hopefully someone that has the ability to do something about the problem will see the injustices and work in a solution- whether it is by film, radio or written documentation in publications. Sometimes the target audience is the public, while other times the audience is a government authority. In the 1960s, video footage with a narrator speaking out against the sights in the video was sent to the United Nations with the explicit purpose of calling attention to a horrific slave trade bust that had occurred. The footage showed as a British soldier demonstrated on camera the devices that some recently detained slavers had used on children to reduce their condition to a point that people passing them by would take compassion upon them (2015). The narrator used his words carefully to cause listeners to feel as though they were somehow responsible for the what was going on in this part of the world. Using statements like “the duty of the civilized world” (2015), or “the world that calls itself civilized and feels smugly at peace with it’s conscience”(2015) were ways to call the ethical human being to action.

Speeches painted with beautiful imagery, such as the famous “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King, Jr. were meant to inspire people to seek out a world that is devoid of social injustices. Prominent figures used written letters to express their deeply held values, and give credence to why the do things. One such letter that often gets missed in talking about American Policy is one written to the the Danbury Baptists by Thomas Jefferson. In the letter he explained that the reason he would not establish Christian specific holidays was because he felt that the best policy was “a Wall of Separation” (now referred to as “Separation of Church and State”). This letter, which acknowledged the individual value of religious practices by making the bold statement “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God…” (Jefferson, 1802), Jefferson befriended the Danbury Baptists and this later became the general policy when it was invoked in Reynolds v. United States in 1878 and McCollum v. Board of Education in 1947-1948 (Hutson, 1998).

In fiction, authors are allowed to explore the very depths of problems that exist in the world around us. In Middle School I read books such as “Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry” by Mildred Taylor and “Island of the Blue Dolphins” by Scott O’Dell. Vastly different in their messages, both offered a vibrant method of exploring trust issues from very different prospectives. In “Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry”, Taylor explores the mistrust that comes from abundant racism, whereas O’Dell explores the idea of mistrust as it comes from isolation. Where Taylor leaves the story open to show that racism continues in her story, O’Dell’s story is given a happy ending when the main character finds that there is value in accepting the society as where her future lies. These stories, when really read for the value they contain, can tell us a great deal about our place in the world. They teach us to value things that we might otherwise not feel compelled to. O’Dell teaches the value perseverance, friendship, and independence. Taylor’s story teaches the value of compassion, self-respect, and hope.

On the stage and in film, directors and writers show us stories that can exploit realities. Shakespeare used his creative mind to produce stories that many say painted the political issues of it’s time. But beyond his life time, his works have been credited as influencing people to both negative actions, such as inspiring the assassination of President Lincoln (Post Staff Report, 2011) and positive actions, such as inspiring African-American actor Paul Robeson who “prepared the way for the social-justice movement” (Post Staff Report, 2011). The entertaining story of Broadway Musical “Chicago” shows how we polarize to celebrities and miss their flaws, or get distracted from finding the truth in favor of the drama. Even our own community’s inspiration “Star Wars” worked to inspire a group of people which strives to improve the world around them.

The Literary Arts play a profound role in shaping society. About 2 years after I left ELMS, 9-11 happened. Although the school was not directly impacted by the events of 9/11, they saw an opportunity to produce a music video on VHS that would show their solidarity with other students in New York City. Defense of others comes in many forms, we can defend people against themselves by showing them better ways to live, or simply displaying to them that they are not alone. We can defend people by launching pre-emptive strikes against abstract concepts that seek to destroy and dismantle society. We can defend them by attacking the very ideals that harm them in the here and now. We do this by tapping into the the power of words, whether they are spoken or written. But as Jedi, we have to recognize what so many literary geniuses before us have understood: You cannot merely say what you think, you have to master the art of words and delivery to reach into the very soul of your audience.

Today I was humbled by the kindness and compassion of another. In the past, I have also shown such to this individual. This person I speak of is my land lady.

This month I was behind on my rent and unable to pay my rent at all. She showed me what I have showed me compassion, even when she did not have to. Because of this act I am forever humbled by the love and care shown to me and my wife. And I am reminded of the humility that is demonstrated between two people. It further reinforced to us that this virtue is so fundamental to day to day lives.

Everyday should become a lesson that is created by the product of our actions. These manifestations are actually a product of who we are. When we show another compassion, in their time of weakness, we should be the best kind of person we can be. These actions make an impact that touch’s another, and we then become the product of inspiration for the individual to continue on giving back to the world in act of kindness towards others.

Reflecting on what happened today, I realize just how important my kindness was to another, as I was the recipient of my own kindness paid forward. I appreciate the gift I was shown today, and will never forget this day. It will always be a reminder that something so simple can become something much greater.

More than a reminder of what kindness breeds, it was also an important lesson on the value of respect. Just to live in her home is a privileged. As I meditation on this, I urged to remember to be humble for what I have. It is invaluable to remember when we are a guest, we must be respectful. Whether is a temple , a dojo, another’s home or even another Facebook group we must be the example for others to follow.

The path we walk is not always the path of another, but we ourselves still walk a path. Buddha said it best:

“No one saves us but ourselves no one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” – Buddha

This means we must be the example of the path we walk. We embody our training and integrity by being this example of vigilance within our servitude. No one is going to show us what we have not given. Nor will they respect us if we are not an example of our claimed path in the first place.

Finally, I note: You are held at a higher accountability of Jedi because you walk the path. Namaste may the force by with you.

Forethought: This is mostly aimed a Christians, however I find that explorations like this one can be integral to the exploration of any spiritual endeavor- especially one that involves some sort of loyalty or relationship with spiritual beings. I want people to challenge the very notion of why they serve whom (or what)-ever they do. Not just their existence, but the core of what they stand for.

Anyways, here’s my thoughts for the day:

We often speak of God as someone we can place full trust in. Have you ever considered what that means?

Look to the 10 Commandments and we assume that everything is clean cut. But there is one particular commandment that may not be fully understood.

‘anah sheqer ‘ed rea’

Or “Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness against thy neighbor”

We simplify this to “Thou shalt not lie”, but that’s not really what it is saying. It’s saying not to condemn someone for something they didn’t do. The key is “‘ed”, which speaks for testimony, evidence, witness in the context of seeing something take place.

Understanding this is key to understanding the value of full trust in our Father. Because, as much as we would like to believe God does not use lies himself, the truth is far from it. God has, at least once, used deception to bring about His Will.

1 Kings 22:19-23

Then Micaiah said, “therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His Thrown, and all the hosts of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. And the Lord said “Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Remote Gilead?” So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. “Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said “I will persuade him”. The Lord said to him “In what way?” So he said “I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets” And the Lord said “You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.” Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these propehts of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”

As you read the rest of the story, you find that it is true- Ahab followed the advice of his prophets and was destroyed in the process.

We believe that healthy trust is built simply on honesty. But that is not what a trust in God is about, it’s about trusting in His vision. It’s about believing that once we surrender completely to God, whatever God puts us in position to do, it’s not meaningless- that He will make our role count.

Simply moving to make the bare minimum commitment to being a follower of Christ is simple when compared to the reality of becoming a Servant of God. The level of trust, even when God uses deception such as the story in 1 Kings, is something a true Christian has to come to grips with. And that is the most difficult task of all.

You wake up and go get a cup of coffee or tea or whatever. You sit down with the paper, or your phone or tablet, in front of your computer, where ever it is that you get your information from. You are calm, sipping on your drink, and then it hits like a 10 megaton bomb………

“SOMEONE DISAGREED WITH ME ON THE INTERNET!!!!!” Oh, that’s not how it goes? Forgive me. Ok, let me try it this way….

“SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING THAT I DISAGREE WITH!!!!!” still not right? Darn it, let me try one more time……

“THE WHOLE WORLD IS GOING TO END BECAUSE SOMEONE TOLD ME IT WAS!!!!!!”

Beware of the Pied Piper my friends. It’s song is enchanting and inviting. It fills the air with it’s intoxicating allure. It goes past the logical, thinking parts and goes right to the heart. You try and resist at first, but it is no use. It has taken control of your heart, and then your mind. It makes you break oaths and promises. It makes you go against your better nature. It causes you to forsake beloved friends and family. It turns the things you Love into the things that you now Hate.

Social Media is a remarkable thing! Growing up in a time where cellphones did not even exist (I did not see my first one until I was about 19 years old), I never imagined that we would be able to share so much, so fast. People come together over anything and everything in a blink of an eye. People are empowered by so much information. Fast information with loose parameters. Fast and Loose information…. “Wait, don’t you share information on your pages and videos? Aren’t you talking about yourself?” I do create, teach and share information. I am honest about it. I have said more times than I ever care to count that you should not take ANYTHING I say as the gospel. You should always look deeper than is what on the surface, no matter WHO is providing the information to you. My job is, as it always has been, to create conversations and to provoke thought. I am not the end all, be all to everything.

Ashla Axiom #90 “Before you can break free of negative or improper influences, you must first recognize them.”

The greatest lie ever told, is the one we tell ourselves. You will do more harm to yourself than anyone else in the world ever could. Pay attention to what you tell yourself.

The music is playing and you begin to march forward. You do not know where you are going, but in this bliss, you do not care. All that matters in how you feel. All that matters is to be a part of something greater than yourself. You are not concerned with logic and thinking. You are not concerned on how others feel or think. All you know is that you are not going to let anyone stop you from enjoying the beautiful music that fills your senses, taking you to a far away land where only you and your feelings matter.

When I open my social media accounts these days, I see a lot of people, very smart and articulate people, spreading hate and discourse. Spreading lies, slander, and misinformation. People who swore oaths and made promises to uphold codes and mantras, are now encouraging violence in the name of some misguided sense of empowerment and new found purpose. All while still preaching those very codes and mantras, oaths and promises, from the side of their mouths.

No, this is not intended to be political. No, it is not intended for any particular generation of human beings. As we are made, we are bound to this creation. All of us. We all think and feel. We all have dreams and aspirations. We all have prejudices, in that, we all have things that we prefer and things we do not. There is something else we all have in common, we had no control over the conditions to which we were born of and into.

The Pied Piper continues to play it’s song, guiding you to an unknown destination. But you don’t care. Your feelings are more important that anyone and anything. Your new found sense of power and purpose, leading you to a better place, a better existence. Your rights and freedoms are all that matter now and you will see them had, even at the expense of another persons right to live in peace.

People seem to be giving away their power. Jumping at shadows and “boogeymen” that never even existed until someone else told you they did. You have the power to allow or reject influences from others. Only you have the power to influence your feelings and emotions. Only you can give that power away to someone else. Don’t trust others to control how you feel, trust yourself with this. If you allow others to dictate your feelings and emotions, you only have yourself to blame.

Who is this Piper? Who follows the Piper? I have a few ideas…..

They are the hypocrites who preach the loudest about love, compassion, mercy, acceptance, and peace. Yet who condones hate and destruction on innocent people by their words or actions. These very same hypocrites who they themselves are not accepting of others, unless they too follow the Piper.

They are the hypocrites who say “you are what you think you are”. Yet publicly deny others because of disagreements based on opinion and affiliation. A lack of emotional integrity and maturity can be found in these people.

They are the hypocrites who preach and teach a code of ethics, yet bully and disparage others because they can’t hear the Piper and follow it’s lead on the road to oblivion.

They are the hypocrites who by their very words and actions, defy the very thing they are “fighting” for.

I guess I can’t blame them, but I will not join them either. As I have said, the song that the Piper plays is intoxicating for those who choose to allow their emotions to guide their actions. I have chosen to not give away my power. I have chosen to employ my mind and to use reason and logic to guide my words, actions, and judgments. By the way, those who follow the Piper, should take care in knowing how that story ended.

Hello Knights, I hope this finds you well. It had always been a tradition here at the KOA to sit down and talk about what we are thankful for. Well this year, I am going to do something a little different. Given that I will be on duty for 12 hours a day over the next 4 days, I really didn’t have a whole lot of time to put together a video or live show for this. But I wanted to do something.

This year has been a very tough and trying one for me. I know it has been for many of you as well. And given that many things that have happened to me and tested me, I have already many times over throughout the course of this year, expressed my gratitude. I have said it in years past, Thanksgiving shouldn’t be the only time of the year that we think about gratitude and give thanks for those things, people, and places that have helped shape who we are…….the good and the bad.

I am grateful for the moments in my life that give validation but also the moments that give me grief and make me uncomfortable and push me to my limits. I am grateful for the people in my life who offers compassion, comfort, love, understanding, and the opportunity to show them my gratitude and love in return. I am grateful for the people who push me to my breaking point and force me to go beyond that. I am grateful that I am able to live my life in a way that no matter what happens to me, it is still always on my terms. -Justin Bane

I am truly blessed! This has been the shittiest year on record for me, yet, I will say again that I am truly blessed! I will end this with a short list of things I am grateful for and why I feel that I am blessed.

I am grateful for the horrible injury I suffered in February, because this has shown me and reminded me how strong and resilient I am. It has also reminded me of the Love that others have for me.

I am blessed to have spent my entire life with my Nana. One half of a remarkable couple of people who guided me and helped shape who I am. I am happy that I spent my life with this woman and I am happy she is free from pain.

I am grateful to be still working in a job that was in danger of being lost to me due to my injury. I am grateful for those who stood by me and encouraged me to keep fighting and to keep getting stronger. They never gave up on me, even when it seemed like I was not going to be able to do it ever again.

I am grateful for the birth of my Grandson. He is a spitting image of me, his Papa! I Love him so much and are grateful that I get to experience this world with him.

I am grateful for my partners at the KOA, without their Love and support I don’t know if I would have been able to get this far. I am grateful for YOU, those of you who have stood by me here at the KOA and listened to my ramblings and have read my posts. I Love you all very much.

I am grateful for my friends and family. I Love you all.

I am grateful to those whose names I will never know. To those who serve and sacrifice for us to enjoy the freedoms that sadly too many take for granted.

I Love you all very much. Be safe and be good to each other. Until next time